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^ ==JI II 1 1= . 'I ==?l =!E 

I The Peerless Series 

I No. 46 



SUITORS THREE; 

or, 

Her Test forTrueLove 

A SKETCH 

By C. Gordon Kurtz [ 



PRICE 25 CENTS 



Frank J. Stanton, Publisher 
Norwich, N. Y. 1 

I II- II — =i i==^ i===i i i pS) 



All 25 cents each 

15 Peerless Minstrel Book, No. 4 The latest in 
the minstrel material collection, all dished up, red hot and 
ready to serve, uniform with but entirely different than any 
of the preceding three numbers. You are sure to find just 
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"canned" — open the can! Get all four booksl Make your 
minstrel show complete with this enjoyable bunch of always 
desirable and **make-good" material. 

We want to tell you right here that the jokes, etc., in our Minstrel 
Books cire so good that people are buying them just to "stock up" |W^ 
bright, fresh, crisp gags to spi-ing on their friends. Fact! wMm 

16 A Couple of Lunatics A most successful dra- 
matic sketch for two people, male and female, suitable for 
presentation on stage, in parlor or church, as only an ordi- 
nary setting or room is necessary. Runs about fifteen min- 
utes and will delight any audience. 

17 Who Wouldn't be a Boy? A monologue. You 
can imagine at once what it is about and no doubt it will 
carry you back to your own childhood and its pranks. It 
is full of laughs, first to last. IIH 

18 The Trickster Tricked A very clever little 
farce in two scenes for seven characters, 5 male 2 female. 
Is easily staged and has fine old man, character old man, 
soubrette, male and female colored servants, genteel young 
man, etc. It is highly enjoyable and you are sure to like 
it. It runs about 25 minutes. 

Stanton Amusement Co., Norwich, N. Y. 



^ 



SUITORS THREE; 



or, 



Her Test for True Love 



A SKETCH 



By C. Gordon Kurtz 



Copyright, 1921 

FRANK J. STANTON 

Norwich, New York 



SUITORS THREE; OR. HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 



CAST OF CHARACTERS ^ ^ 

Helen Camp, a popular society girl. O \ ^ ^ ^ 

William Connor, one of her admirers. v\\ 

Harry Williams, another admirer. » *^ \ 

George Hartford, still another admirer. 
Jane, her Irish maid. 

TIME OF REPRESENTATION 
30 to 35 minutes. 

COSTUMES 
For Helen: an attractive house gown. 
For Jane: a neat maid's dress, apron and cap. 
For the Suitors: all dressy business suits, each different. 

PROPERTIES 

Parlor table, chairs, sofa or tete, books, magazines, victro- 
Ja, ferns, plants, in fact anything to add to setting. 

PERMISSION 

to produce this Sketch must be obtained of the Publisher. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1921 

BY FRANK J. STANTON, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington 



(.0 59255 



SUITORS THREE; 

or. 

Her Test for True Love 



SCENE— Sitting room of Helen Camp*s home. A neat, cosy room, fur- 
nished and arranged according to taste of the players. Jane, is dis- 
covered arranging things about the rocm, humming as she does so. 
Entrances are Right and, Left. When curtain is up Helen enters R. 

HELEN Speaking as she enters Jane, I'm so worried and 
perplexed I really don't know what to do. 

JANE Shure Miss Helen, are ye not falein well er sum- 
thin? 

H No, Jane, I'm not sick. 

J Shure an oi'm glad o that. Miss Helen, oi'd like ter 
know jist what's troublin ye. 



SUITORS THREE; OR, HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

H Oh, Jane, it's simply nerve racking to think of it. I 
wish you could help me out! 

J Miss Helen, you know that oi always do all in me 
power to help me mistress along. 

H Yes, Jane, I know you do, and I appreciate it very 
much. But it is so different this time. 

J Well, plaze tell me an oi'll try the best I kin fer ye. 

H sits Well, it's like this: William, Harry and George 
have been constantly proposing to me. I like them all, 
but am at a loss to know how to find out which loves me 
most or would make me the best husband. I want a man 
who speaks truthfully and will not misrepresent things. 
Do you know or think of any way that I could find out? 
You know my father's will states that if I do not marry 
before I am 23 years old the estate is to go to his second 
cousin. That's why I am so worried and perplexed. I 
want to marry, but I want to marry the right man who 
will always love me. I'm not hard to please, am I? 

J Shure yer fur from bein particklar. Now let me see. 
Seems loike oi rid a story somethin loike you. Lemme see. 
pause Oi know! It was a pictur oi saw at a movie onctan 
they called it *'The Acid Test." 'Twuz bout a girrul loike 
yerself an in jist sech a pickle as you are in. She has jist 
as manny fancies. 

H Fancies? 

J Yis--fancies. 

H laughs Jane, you're a scream. You mean pronouncing 
the word fee-an-say. 

J Yis, that's 'em. Well, she thought an thought of a 
way to find out which of thim--er--what kind of an ani- 
mal did ye say they wuz. Miss Helen? 

H laughing I said fee-an-say. 

J Yis. Well, she didn't know which one o thim--er-- 
jist what you called thim--to choose fer a husband. So the 
nixt toime they come to propose to her, she told thim she 
must have a great big bunch o things after they wuz mar- 
rid, an she knew thim--jist what you called thim--could 
niver git all those things for her. Well, they all tould her 
they'd git the things excipt one young man, an shure he 



SUITORS THREE; OR. HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

wuz handsome oi tell you. So she found out that the one 
who tould the truth wuz the one she shud marry. 

H Splendid! Jane, you're a life saver. 

J looks at herself Shure Miss Helen, you don't mane to 
till me oi look loike one o thim thim things on the ships, 
loike a big doughnut wid a hole in it, what they have to 
save folks from drowndin, do ye?,, ,^ 

H laughs No, no Jane. I mean that you afe the nick-o- 
time heroine. You have come to my rescue and furnished 
a way for me to find out which of my suitors loves me best. 
I am going to adopt the same plan that the young lady in 
the moving picture did. Jane, you're a jewel! 

J Oi fale highly honored to have you say that. Shure 
oi'm iver so much plazed. 

H Remember, not a word about my plan to any of the 
boys, if they should show up to-night, Jane. 

J You can always rely on Jane, Miss Helen, yis-sir-ee. 

H Fine. Now I'll go up to my room and prepare my 
speeches before any of them come, rises. 

J All right. This is goin to be great. 

H going R, speaking If any of the boys come call me. I'll 
be ready for them. Exit R. 

J Shure, I will. Well, well, this is goin to be better'n 
the show itself. Oi wonder how it will turn out. Oi'll jist 
bet the one she thinks duzzent love her, will love her the 
most. Well, jist wait, jist wait; we'll see who is the hon- 
est to goodness lover. Starts arranging things, humming. Door bell 
off stage, L, rings There, oi'll bet that's one o thim fancies 
coming in quest of her hand. We'll see whether or not an 
who's who. Exit L. Speaking outside Good avenin Mr. Con- 
nor, come right in. Yis, Miss Helen is home. No, she's 
up stairs in her room. Come into the settin room an oi'll 
go an call her. Re-en^er L, with WILLIAM CONNOR. Oi'll go 
right up stairs an tell Miss Helen that you are here. 

Wm Yes, do Jane. I have something very important 
to ask her. 

J aside You'll ask her, but look out! you'll have to pass 
the test, aloud Yes, Mr. Connor, oi'll go right up an tell 



SUITORS THREE; OR, HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

her. Exit R. 

Wm sits L To-night she will not refuse me. I have pre- 
pared a wonderful proposal. She can't resist; I know she 
can't. 

J Re enters R Miss Helen will be down immediately. 

Wm Thank you. Jane, you look unusually cute this 
evening. ^ - **•* \ 

J aside The fresh divil. Oi hope he flunks the test. 

Wm rises as HELEN enters R Good evening. Miss Helen, 
I've come on a very important errand and I would like to 
see you alone. May I? 

H to Jane Will you excuse us a few moments, Jane? 
Mr. Connor has come on important business. 

Wm Yes, little Jane will excuse us. 

J Shure, Miss Helen, anything ye ask of me oi'U do. 
aside For that lummox oi'd niver lave the room. Exit R. 

H Now, William, what is it so important that you wish 
to see me about? 

Wm Let's sit on the sofa and I'll tell you. 

H aside I believe he's going to propose again, aloud Cer- 
tainly, William, they sit on sofa. 

Wm Helen, the great and important errand is this, tak- 
ing her hand I want you to marry me. It's you, just you; 
all through my life it has been you. No one has ever ador- 
ed you and loved you as I have. Helen, I will make you 
the best of husbands. You are to me as the sunshine. I 
need you as the flowers need the sunshine and as the whole 
world needs it, I need you. Will you marry me? 

H very thoughtful, pause Yes, I will marry you. 

Wm I knew you couldn't refuse me this time, places arm 
around her We'll always be happy won't we, dear? 

H Of course we will, clasping her hands together Now just 
think, William dear, we will have a wonderful church wed- 
ding won't we, and six bridesmaids and all the fixings and 
William, I know a dear little house I'd like to live in and 
it's only $8,000. There is a duck of a garage where we can 
keep our own little car, for we'll surely have one, won't we 
dear? And William, I saw a living-room suite in town the 



SUITORS THREE; OR. HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

other day for $850., and a solid mahogany set for only 
$1200. You see, dear, I had a sort of hunch you'd ask me 
soon, so I've been scouting around, for I believe in prepar- 
edness, don't you know. We'll have all these things won't 
we William? watching his face for reply. 

Wm Yes, yes Helen, all. All I can get you, all you de- 
sire. There's nothing that you wish but what I can get 
for you. 

H coldly That settles it. rises You don't love me. 

Wm I don't love you? Even after I've promised to buy 
you all you wanted you say I don't love you. 

H That is just why you don't love me. You know you 
cannot give me all the things I asked you for. You have 
deceived me. You try to make me believe that you can 
buy all these things. Once a deceiver always a deceiver. 
stamps her foot No! I will not marry you! Leave me at once 
and let this be a lesson to you, never misrepresent yourself 
again, goes to L, calls Jane! Jane, please get Mr. Connor's 
hat and gloves. 

Wm Helen, have you gone mad. Are you crazy? 

H Quite the opposite. I've just learned the truth of 
affairs. 

JANE Enter L, with hat and gbves Here they are, Miss Helen. 

H Hand them to Mr. Connor please, I think he's about 
to leave us. 

J Shure, Miss Helen, wid plazure. hands them to him. 

H to Connor Good evening. 

Wm places hat en his head in rough manner Good evening. 
Out of my way Jane! pushes her one side, as he Exits L. 

J shakes her fist at him If yez ever come into this house 
agin, oi'll drownd you wid the hose. 

H It worked, Jane, but I am really sorry. I thought 
he might be true. 

J Oi niver tought anything of the koind. All along oi 
tought he was a dirty, low down desaver. Miss Helen. 

H I'm glad I found out so soon, sits, R, reads 

J aside One's gone, anyway. Aint oi glad he flunked 



SUITORS THREE; OR, HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

the test, works about the room bell rings L Miss Helen, oi'll 
bet it's another wan of yer fancies. Exit L 

H Jane is so funny at times and says the funniest things. 

J outside Yis, she's home. She's in the sittin room. 
Won't you come in? 

H That's probably Harry. 

J Enter L, with HARRY WILLIAMS Mr. Williams to say you. 

H goes to him, shakes hands Good evening, Mr. Williams. 

Har Good evening, Miss Helen. I have come on an im- 
portant mission and would like to see you alone. 

H Certainly, Mr. Williams, to Jane Jane will excuse us 
for a few moments? 

J Shure an oi will, aside Another of those fancies to 
try the test. Exit R. 

Har goes toward sofa with Helen, speaking Helen, I have come 
on an important mission, as I told you before, both sit. 

H aside Again I hope for the best. But I shall soon 
find out. aloud Yes, Mr. Williams, what is it? 

Har taking her hand Helen, I love you. I want you to 
marry me. That is the great mission I have come for to- 
night. It is the greatest mission I ever set out for. It is 
you, always you. Since the day we first met, it has been 
you. I have hoped and planned for our happiness. You 
cannot refuse, you cannot! You will marry me? 

H hesitating Y-e-s, I--will. 

Har places arm around her, kisses her You've made me the 
happiest man on earth. Everything will be sunshine with 
you by my side. 

H With hands clasped, she gives the same speech she did with Wil- 
liam Connor, watching him closely. 

Har Yes, Helen, anything, anything. I will give you 
anything you ask for. Anything in this wide world. 

H rises, indignantly So you are another deceiver, Mr. Wil- 
liams? I am glad to find you out so soon. I think that 
our interview is at an end. 

Har Why, Helen dear, what do you mean? Are you cra- 
zy? Come, come, you are just a bit upset. 



SUITORS THREE; OR, HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

H On the contrary I am quite all right, stamping her foot 
No! I will not marry you! \ou have deceived me now and 
would do so again if I married you. You could not give 
me all I asked you for and I know it. I am now asking you 
to go. goes to R, calls Jane! Jane bring Mr. Williams' 
things, I think he is about to go. JANE enters L with hat and 
gloves which she hands to Harry. 

Har Helen, you will be sorry for this some day. 

H I am willing to suffer the consequences. You've said 
your part. Good evening. Jane, you may show Mr. Wil- 
liams to the door. 

J Right this way, Mr. Williams, and make it snappy. 

Har goes toward L exit, turns, to Helen Bah! 

J Yis; bah! This way out plaze. Exit L. followed by Harry. 

H Thank goodness that's all over with, goes to sofa, sits 
To think both of them deceived me. Oh! how could they? 
starts to cry. 

J Enter L, goes and sits by Helen, pats her shoulder There, now 
dearie, don't you cry. None av thim's worth his weight in 
mud. You may be thankful ye found thim out so quick. 
Yis-sir-ee. 

H drying her eyes I guess you're right, smiles There's no 
use crying over spilt milk. 

J Yis; it's lucky ye found thim out. rises, starts L, bell 
rings, she turns Oi'U bet that's Mr. George. Oi hope he pro- 
poses and passes the test. Exit L. 

H I hope it is George. I always liked him better than 
the rest and I hope he's true. 

J outside Yis, Miss Helen's home. Come right in, Mr. 
George, she'll be only too glad to see yez. Enter L with 
GEORGE HARTFORD. Miss Helen, Mr. George to see you. 

Geo meets Helen as she rises and comes to greet him with extended 
hand Good evening, Helen, how do you feel? You look a 
little worried. You must take better care of yourself. 

H I do feel rather blue, but with you as company it will 
pass away. 

G I am glad to hear you say that, Helen, for you give me 



SUITORS THREE; OR, HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

courage to say what I have come to ask you this evening. 

J aside Oi knew it. aloud Oi'll lave ye to yerselves, Miss 
Helen. 

H Thank you, Jane, I was just going to ask you to leave 
us a few moments. 

J aside Oi hope he passes the test. Exit L. 

H Let's sit on the sofa, George; it's more comfortable. 
they go to sofa, both sit. You say you have something to ask 
me. What is it, George? 

G Helen, hesitating will you marry me? Please don't 
say "No." It will do you no good for I shall keep asking 
and asking and will give you no rest until you consent. 

H hesitates, in deep thought, looks in his eyes Yes, George, I 
will marry you. they embrace. 

G You don't know what a happy man I am, Helen. 
taking her hand Just think, it won't be long before I'll have 
you all to myself. You, just you; oneof God's most beau- 
tiful creatures for my wife. Oh, Helen, you don't know 
how happy you have made me. kisses her 

H You don't know how happy I am either, George dear. 
I'll have you all to myself now, won't I? pats his cheek You 
won't go with that horrid old Raynond girl any more, will 
you dear? 

G No, dear; indeed I won't. All I ever wanted was you 
and your love and now at last I've had the courage to ask 
for you. Helen, you were always the girl of my dreams. 
I only went with the Raynond girl just to try and make 
you jealous. Really, I hated the sight of her. snuggles close 
to her I wouldn't be seen with any other girl in the world 
but you, not for any amount of money. 

H takes and pats his hand You are jnst the same old dear 
you always was and I am going to try and make you as 
happy as I can. 

G places arm around her, All you have to do dear, is to love 
me with all your heart, for it's your love that makes me 
happy. 

H With hands clasped, she gives the same speech she did with Wil- 
liam Connor and Harry Williams, watching him closely. George stares 



SUITORS THREE; OR. HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE 

at her, during speech and at finish goes to chair at table, sits, very de- 
jectedly, gazing at floor. Helen goes to him, kneeling at his side. What 
is the matter, d«s»ar? 

G looks at her, disconsolately Helen, Helen. 

H Yes. 

G rises, raises her, clasps her in his arms Helen, I love you. 

H Of course you do and I love you to distraction, and 
that is why I can hardly vv^ait for all those lovely things we 
are going to have, 

G places his hands on her shoulders, looks at her So that is it, 
you love me not for myself alone, sighs Oh, Helen! drops his 
hands to his sides, goes to sofa, sits with head in hands. She goes and 
sits beside him, 

H George, tell me-- 

G looks up, moves away, facing her Stop, Helen, please stop. 
Listen to me just a minute, takes her hands I never intended 
to misrepresent things, but I surely have if you think I 
can afford to buy an $8,000 house, several thousands of 
dollars' worth of furniture, a car, and all that sort of 
thing. I've tried to save and thought I had a tidy little 
sum until I heard your wants. I didn't realize girls need- 
ed so much to make them happy. I somehow thought 
you loved me turns head and gazes at floor and would be will- 
ing to start at the bottom of the ladder and climb up with 
me, but I guess I made a mistake. looks in her face I'm sorry 
Helen, but I can't expect you to marry me, for you'd never 
be happy on a salary of $2500 and a bank account of $4,000, 
out of which we would have to buy furniture and get our 
start. 

H snuggles up to him George, dear? 

G moving away, slightly Don't make it any harder for me, 
please don't. 

H Very well, then. I've listened to you, now you must 
listen to me. he watches her attentively George, you are not the 
first who has proposed to me. In fact, you are the third, 
right here in this room. I'll not mention names for that 
would be unfair. I told them the same list of wants I've 
told you and they sought to make me think they could 
give me all those things. I knew better and disliked them 



SUITORS THREE; OR. HER TEST FOR TRUE LOVE; 



for being so dishonest. Soft music, like "The Love Nest," "Love's 
Old Sweet Song," etc., until curtain. But you, pats his cheek youi 
great big peach, have just shown hovi' honest you are. they 
snuggle closer Why, honey, all I want is you and your love^ 
and enough to live on, in a little coop just big enough for, 
well--two at first anyway, kisses him, rises quickly as he starts t^ 
grasp her, crossing to Center stage. 

G following her Helen, my Helen! embraces her I knew youi 
was true, just as true as gold. I knew you was the girl I 
thought you and now you're mine, all mine to love, kisses 
her My true, little future wife. 

JANE Enter L Miss Helen, there's a tilephone call fori 
yez. Miss Helen, there's a tilephone call for yez. George is 
still kissing Helen, Jane throws up her hands Shure, it's no use! 
rushes off L, heard outside Hello! hello! No; the line's busy. 
Good bye! 

CURTAIN 



How to Put On a Play and 

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If you want to put on either, you've no idea of the as- 
sistance you get from these two books. They tell it all. 
35cts each postpaid. 

Stanton Amusement Co., Norwich, N. Y. 



►«»-^^*»-^tefc.<»-"^te-«»-^^,«»-« 



25 cents each except as stated 

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Will run about 15 minutes. 

29 Jingles, No. Two Our Jingles, No. One, proved 
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Jingles No. 1 certainly "touched the spot." Singular how long it 
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All 25 cents each 

34 The Servant Problem Solved. A rattling 
good sketch for two males, one of whom is the funniest kind 
of a yankee character. Sure to break the spell that binds 
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35 The Widov*^ and the Widower. A farce that 
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The old man wants the young lady and the old lady wants 
the old man. 

36 Not a Criminal After All. A sketch for 3 males 
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37 How She Got a Husband. A sketch for 2 males 
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38 The Doctor's Assistant. An extremely funny 
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Stanton Amusement Co., Norwich, N. Y. 



